SAN RAMON — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger shook supporters’ hands, signed autographs and posed for photos Monday in San Ramon during an eleventh-hour, seven-city campaign run in advance of today’s special election.

Inside the Hop Yard Alehouse, fans greeted the governor while dozens of protesters and supporters held signs and chanted slogans outside.

After entering through the restaurant’s rear door, Schwarzenegger thanked the crowd for its cheers and urged them to vote yes on his ballot propositions.

“It’s very important for you all to go out and vote,” he said.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today for the special election, in which voters will decide eight ballot measures.

Schwarzenegger is backing Proposition 74, which increases from two to five years the time a teacher must work before earning tenure; Proposition 75, an opt-in requirement for public unions’ use of dues for political purposes; Proposition 76, a budget cap measure that also grants the governor broad new powers; and Proposition 77, giving authority for drawing legislative lines to a panel of three retired judges.

Carl Palowitch of Pleasanton, sitting with members of the Alameda County Repub

lican Party, was among those waiting to meet the governor Monday.

“I think he’s making the right steps to make California a better place,” he said.

Protesters speak out

But the governor’s supporters were far outnumbered by protesters outside, who carried signs opposing the propositions and chanted “Hey, hey, vote no, Schwarzenegger has got to go.”

Much of the crowd was rallying against Proposition 75.

“I think he doesn’t have any business getting involved in our unions,” said Anthony Garcia, a captain paramedic for the Contra Costa Fire Department. “We already have the choice to opt out.”

Sunnyvale nurse Diane Foxen also blasted the measure, which she said is a “back-door” strategy to continue to roll back the nurse-patient ratio in the future by curbing the unions’ voice.

Eric Heins, a Pittsburg teacher representing the California Teachers Association, held a fake movie poster with the title “True Liar.”

“They’re trying to deceive the voters into doing something that’s bad for California and make it more difficult to attract and retain teachers,” he said about Proposition 74, which would change the requirement to become a permanent employee for teachers from two years to five years.

Schwarzenegger supporters countered the protesters chants with cries of “Four more years” and held signs asking voters to “Reform and Rebuild California.”

Thomas G.F. Del Beccaro, chairman of the Contra Costa Republican Party, said he is supporting all of the governor’s initiatives, particularly Proposition 77, the redistricting measure.

“Structural problems in California remain despite the reforms he’s been able to accomplish so far. Until we get redistricting and the playing field is leveled, we will still be out of balance,” he said.

Oakland mayoral candidate and former U.S. Ron Dellums rallied hundreds of volunteers Monday morning at the Teamsters Local 70 union hall on Hegenberger Road, dispatching them to walk precincts and get out the vote against the governor’s agenda.

Actor, director and activist Rob Reiner joined volunteers for a phone-banking session later Monday at the Alameda County Central Labor Council office.

Proposition 77 advocate Bill Mundell and Common Cause President Chellie Pingree brought their RV tour of California college campuses to the University of California, Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza for a noon rally in support of the redistricting measure.

And the governor’s measures weren’t the only ones generating heat as the clock ticked down on the election.

With the race tight for Proposition 73 — amending the state constitution to require parental notification when minors seek abortions, and to define abortion as causing “death of the unborn child, a child conceived but not yet born” — the American Civil Liberties Union helped the measure’s opponents mobilize activists with sandwich-board signs and pamphlets at key intersections in Berkeley, San Mateo, San Francisco, Stockton and eight other Northern California cities Monday.

The secretary of state last week projected 42 percent of registered voters will cast ballots in this election.

To find your polling place, call the Secretary of State’s voter assistance hot line at 800-345-VOTE. In Alameda County call 663-VOTE (8683), and in Contra Costa County call (925) 646-4166.

"There is a general recognition that we don't need these military-style weapons in New Zealand, so it's very easy to win cross-party support for this," said Mark Mitchell, who was defense minister in the previous, center-right government and who supports the ban initiated by the center-left-led Labour Party.